Parts of the courthouse of Mechelen – also known as the Palace of Margaret of Austria or Court of Savoy – will be opened to the public from September. Visitors will be able to visit the garden and the throne room to begin with, and the city plans to open other rooms in the future.
Kanton Mechelen
Palace of Margaret of Austria in Mechelen to open to public
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The Court of Savoy currently serves as Mechelen’s courthouse, but that wasn’t always the case.
“This building is perhaps the most important building in Flanders, because Margaret of Austria ruled from here and Emperor Charles was raised here,” said the city’s mayor, Bart Somers.
“It was the first Renaissance building to be constructed north of the Alps. America had just been discovered, humanism was emerging: the building was an intellectual and political centre, not only for the Low Countries but for the whole of Europe.”
The building attracts a lot of attention and many tourists want to visit it, but this wasn’t possible for security reasons.
“After lengthy discussions with the city, the Buildings Agency and the FPS Justice, we have agreed to close off the interior of our building with a number of security doors,” court chair Suzy Vanhoonacker said. “This will allow us to reopen the exterior to a wider public.”
This means that, from 1 September, certain parts of the building will be open to the public. “The gate on Keizerstraat will reopen, allowing visitors to enter the Renaissance garden and the throne room,” says Greet Geypen, councillor responsible for monuments, tourism and heritage.
The entrance will be repainted and the garden will be replanted in the autumn.
The building was an intellectual and political centre, not only for the Low Countries but for the whole of Europe
Margaret of Austria was governor of the Netherlands between 1507 and 1530. She ruled from Mechelen, and the city flourished under her reign. Margaret had a great passion for books, music and architecture. Her court in Mechelen became an important centre of Renaissance and humanism.
The city will commemorate the 500th anniversary of Margaret’s death in 2030. Geypen: “In the long term – by the Margaret Year in 2030 – we want to open up a number of other rooms, such as her bedroom and library, so we can tell the whole story.”